Bunnies by the numbers - it's scary!

One of the fabulous bunny authorities on the Bunny Care/Resource Links is to  Rabbit Health Central (U of Miami), by Dana Krempels (see her license plate here ... I wonder if she drives a VW Rabbit?).

I recently came across a post with one of Dr. Krepels' many articles; in it, she walks through the elements of applicable numbers (for example: how long bunnies can live, how many babies they can have per litter, how often they can have a litter) and selects some parameters for the assumptions of the math problem. Conservative assumptions.

You can check out the full explanation, but the bottom line is that after 7 years, the 2 (read: two) bunnies you start with have the reproductive capabilities to end up with almost 95 BILLION - that's BILLION with a "B"  - rabbits.

Whew!
And that's why your bunnies should be math impaired and you should adopt rabbits from your local rescue shelter.

Yes, they are cute.
But there are plenty to go around and
you can adopt them from your local rescue shelter.

Montana bunnies! LOTS of Montana bunnies

Searching for some pictures on the computer, came across these from a trip to Montana, to a time before we were bunny slaves ...

This sign there warned us that all wildlife is dangerous. And we saw lots that were ... as we were just, well, driving down the road. Incredible, really. Beautiful, majestic. But, this is a bunny blog.

So what about wildlife that has been exposed to humans ... lives in really close proximity to them? Well, as close as you can in Montana.

These were said bunnies - not domesticated - wild.
Not seeing the future, I did not take enough pictures of them
to give you a true picture of just how many there were.
The field was vast - and covered in bunnies of all sizes.
But just one "look" - alike.

Close-up of snuggle bunnies.
You can see how close they let people get to them.
LUCY is not that comfortable with it.

Here's a bunny who positioned himself in the shade ...

... while this bunny was periscoping for bright sun,
somewhere between the picnic table and the basketball.

Bunnies. Just love 'em.

Ethel's NASbunny

Like Lucy's recent spin around the pen, this one is on the short side.

Here's a brief index:
Ethel starts in the back left corner, looking in their big white tube.
Ethel NASbunny (with binkies) - ends up to right of cardboard tunnel.
Enters tunnel from rear and sneaks up on Bunya (about 15 seconds in).
Second quick NASbunny (you can almost hear the screech of the brakes) ...
Bunya is left looking down the tube after her ("Duh, where did she go?").
About 27 seconds in, Bunya periscopes and looks around like,
"Did anyone get the license number of that bunny?"
Then he turns around, sees Ethel and hops over to give her some loving.

After a few seconds of that, Bunya gives the patented bunny ear/head shake (with very tiny piece of the "Hi, ho, Silver!" rearing), and hops over to see what Lucy has found to eat.

And as skittish as Lucy can be, she just sat there and leisurely munched hay while enjoying the floor show. Only subtle ear movements disclose her interest in the antics.

Leela's bunny slippers

Spotted in an episode of Futurama:

Leela's wearing --- bunny slippers!

A little trivia, if I am not mistaken: Futurama is a creation of Matt Groening, who also created another mildly popular television cartoon series called The Simpsons (it's only the longest-running American primetime, scripted television series ... eh, we'll see if it makes it past 25 years).

Anyway, Mr. Groening also created a long-running comic strip whose characters included rabbits. Those slippers Leela is wearing were, I believe, modeled after those characters.

But in any case, they're bunny slippers and therefore belong in RR.

Rabbit Ramblings Pageviews: 100,000

Just feel like this is a happy milestone and wanted to note it.

It's probably not that much www-wise, really, other than to us bunnies. But any reason to celebrate good stuff.

Thank you to everyone who checks in, leaves comments and becomes a member!

Bunny fives - up high!

Alpha bunny

Bunya addressing the troops ...

Bunya: Aww, c'mon, you guys ... you know I love you.
Sometimes, I just have to chase you a little, pull a tuft of hair. Or two.
Y'know, I was here first and all.
But I love you both with all my heart.
Until the human gives out treats ...
but right after that - I love you again.

Bunnies nomming hay cubes

In an attempt to have some order and still let the bunnies enjoy the things they do, we drop a bunch of hay cubes in a flat box for their chewing enjoyment. Of course, they bring them out of that box and leave hay crumbs everywhere.

This video started much earlier but got clipped so it begins at the point Ethel decides, for whatever reason, Bunya's time in the hay cube box is over, and she lets him know this. He leaves, and then Lucy hops over for a turn. Lucy's startled look a the end is just her reaction to our laughing at them. Doesn't phase Ethel. (If it had been someone sneezing, they would have both jumped and one of them would have thumped at us.)

If bunnies competed in Olympic events ...

... there are so many possibilities: running, jumping, binkying, cardboard chewing, flopping, snuggling, grooming ... snacking ... power napping?

The breakfast postprandial "flop & snooze"

That's what this picture made me think about. I had given them their "goodbye" treats and was headed off to work. They scarfed them down before I was out of the room and flopped in place to begin the day's series of power naps.

P.S. Bunya grabbed the primo "chill" spot next to the still cool water dish.

Lucy demonstrates bunny boxing

Cue up "Eye of the Tiger" and the Rocky montage ...

Lucy decided it was time to take it to the Slinky again. The Slinky is now an integral part of their pen, unless they find some bolt cutters. This was due in no small part to Lucy's efforts as she positioned herself outside the pen one day and tried to pull it through the bottom of the fence. It has been hanging right there ever since.

At the end, Lucy periscopes. Sometimes, it is amazing to us how far she can include a forward extension while she is still periscoping.

Probably her low center of gravity (translation: big Dutch butt - but please don't tell her I said so).

The Great Bunny Stick-up

It's robbery, I tells ya'!

In this video, Lucy "sticks up" Ethel.

Watch for the first 18 seconds or so; after that is optional. You never know what's going to happen, so sometimes, you just keep the camera running.

Lucy snatched away Ethel's stick and right after that is when this clip starts - and Lucy does it again. I guess it's like that old saying: The other bun's stick is always crunchier.

Ethel, the loving peacemaker and trying not to start a fight, just picks up the stick Lucy dropped, which Lucy had previously taken from Ethel's mouth. Then Lucy's chewing the stick just became kind of mesmerizing; she's certainly a little bunny wood chipper.

BTW, apple-wood sticks purchased from GHRS Hop Shop.

Bunya ... still following too closely

Didn't he just get a ticket for this yesterday???

Lucy hasn't even had time to get a quote from the body shop from the prior incident.

Bunny fender bender (again)

Occasionally, the bunnies seem to get into their own little versions of traffic accidents ...

Uh oh - looks like Bunya was following too closely!

Oh, yeah ... Bunya got nailed by the traffic cam.

Officer Ethel arrives promptly on the scene to make sure Lucy is okay
and to determine whether she will need a tow.
And to issue Bunya's ticket.

Bunya, I think that's going to cost you some serious points ...

Stealth bunnies

One morning after bunny breakfast, I was walking down the hall to head upstairs for human breakfast time. Because they (especially Lucy) like to try to get past their door (previously a gate), I always check behind me before I open it, to make sure no one escapes or gets a nose pinched. Most of the time, there's nobunny there; sometimes one.

So I turned around this one morning and I had not one, but three fuzzy followers...

Shhhh ... follow the human,
but be vewy, vewy quiet ...
We're hunting mischief. Heh, heh, heh, heh.

Those little padded feet have them rigged for "silent running" at low speeds.

One of the posts about The Gate Escape is here and a video of Ethel's technique is here.

Bunny bedtime

Sequence observed one evening (in order as it occurred) ...

Bunya: C'mon, Ethel, I know you can snuggle closer 'n that.

Bunya: That's better! I knew you could!

Ethel: G'night, Bunya. Sweet dreams.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

Do bunnies get headaches?

The Yawn, by Ivanhoe

I have not yet gotten a good yawn picture, so I snatched this one. HRS posted it from the New Mexico HRS chapter's Facebook page.

Fostered bun Ivanhoe
(Love the ears - looks like it's about 25 minutes 'til noon)

To steal a clever comment someone left, the picture caption should be:
Insert treats here!

Obviously from someone who know bunnies.

If you go to the NMHRS's website, they are currently displaying a slideshow of a recent litter entitled: Watch the bunnies grow!

If you are going to watch it, be sure to practice some vocal exercises first so you don't hurt your throat at the excessive SQUEEEs you will emit upon viewing it.

Look for a bunny shelter near you -

Donate, Volunteer or Adopt.

When you want a wonderful pet - 

Think Fuzzy!

A new bunny box

After our most recent Costco shopping excursion, we had an interesting box, so I thought I'd let them explore it. It was a prefab cozy little bunny bungalow. 

Ethel likes the view from the top ... most always.

She is very thorough, checking it from all sides.
(I won't bore you with the other two views.)
Bunya watches to make sure she's safe.

Lucy is checking inside, to make sure
she can't be "boxed in" and picked up.

Periscoping to check out the roof .. can it hold her heft?
(Little tufts of hare hair hanging from her behind ...
attempted grooming discussed in earlier post.)

The box only had one opening. Being a prey animal, bunnies are predisposed to a minimum of two openings to allow for ingress and egress. I can understand that. A pocket knife can remedy this situation.

Update: The girls, in a joint effort, flipped the box. Bunya promptly hopped in and started tearing up the new "floor", formerly a ceiling.

More bunny jewelry

Phoned in by a RRRR (Roving Rabbit Ramblings Reporter) ...
Bunny jewelry in Austin, TX

If you are not in Austin,

you can shop online at

Black & Bluebird Studios

Rabbit Ramblings -

Bringing you all the bunny news

fit to print

Bunny manners ...

... well, maybe not so much.

Poor little Ethel wants in the pen but the guard bunnies at the gate
seem disinclined to budge when there is no treat involved.

Not easily offended, Ethel hops over the crowd
and settles in for whatever the group activity may be...
perhaps "power lounging".

Another "Prepare to Squeee!" Post

All together now: Awwwwwww!

Snowblaze -
You may squee at will.

No, not Ethel or Alice, but another LWB* up for adoption.
(* Little White Bunny)


And here is the brief chain of custody (watch and read too many police procedurals) of how this adorable picture got to RR:

HRS's Facebook page shared this picture

from Tranquility Trail Animal Sanctuary's Facebook page

which led to Tranquility Trail Animal Sanctuary's website. (Hereinafter "TTAS" ... what would we do without legalspeak?) TTAS is an Arizona animal rescue charitable organization.

So, Regular RR Readers, what have we learned today?

1. Bunnies are so cute.

2. Especially LWBs.

3. They lead to uncontrolled squeee-ing.

4. Being a fan of HRS on Facebook lets you see lots of cute bunny pictures and news.

5. If you go to TTAS (handy website link above), you can see a slideshow of the cute bunnies available for adoption (at bottom of homepage, titled "Bunnies Awaiting Forever Homes").

Example of other cute bunny pictures on HRS's Facebook page:

Giant babies at meal time ...

... and snoozle & snuggle time.

Mom: Giant Chinchilla bunny

Dad: Giant Flemish bunny

Babies: Giants Chin-ish or Flem-illas, but surely Giant

Shelter: HRS MD, DC and Northern VA chapter,

and their Facebook page is here.

Look for a bunny shelter near you -

Donate, Volunteer or Adopt.

When you want a wonderful pet - 

Think Fuzzy! 

A brief Bunny 500 by Lucy

Well, maybe more like a Bunny 100. Or a 50.

Lucy wraps up by pulling into the hay cube pit to refuel.

(Sorry for the herky-jerky camera work - it's not easy to follow those speedy moves.)

The Three Bunmigos

When I grabbed the camera to take a picture, it was of two snuggled bunny behinds, Bunya and Lucy, watching TV with me. By the time I was able to take the picture, Ethel wanted to get in on the snuggle.

Bunny behinds:
Bunya, Lucy & Ethel, respectively

The top down view of the snuggle bunnies

Another time, same bunnies, more snuggling

Bunny love is a many splendored thing.

Happy 4th of July!

Saw these bunnies celebrating on the GHRS Facebook page and their humans from Langhorne, PA graciously sent their too cute pictures for the RR Fourth of July ...

Meet Chloe & Casper,
Rabbit Ramblings' 4th of July bunnies!
<< Insert "SQUEEE" here >>
(Chloe looks like a living Rorschach test)

And Daffney is preparing for the sunshine and cookout
(or maybe the fireworks ... be a dear and fetch her ear plugs, please).
P.S. Daffney, a lionhead, was adopted from the Bucks County SPCA.

Four lucky bunnies (two bonded couples) live together with well-trained human slaves who have been adopting rabbits for over 20 years -- way to go!
Wisely, all bunnies are "math-impaired" (they can't multiply).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

You remember the holiday message right?
Don't drink and drive.
Don't text and drive.
Don't drink and text.
When boating, wear a big orange life vest (you humans look so funny in those).
Play with your bunnies and give them lots of treats!

Be grateful to be in the land of the free and the home of the buns.

Well, here's another one: Bunnies don't like fireworks.
It stresses them just like other sudden and/or loud noises.

If your bunny's neighborhood is firecracker noisy, keep the buns cool and quiet.
Close the windows and doors.

Play music - peaceful, easy listening (not loud). Think elevator music.
(No hair bands or hare bands. Stay away from 1812 Overture.)
Your TV service might even have a suitable channel in its lineup - you just never tune to those channels.

If you do not already have boxes for them to play on and in, get some plain cardboard boxes (not slick or a lot of ink/color, no staples, labels or tape); they can hide in them, to further mute the noise and feel a little safer.

Keep them company and reassure them that everything's okay. Pet them if they are the petting kind of bunnies. Have a couple of healthy treats handy (Bunya told me to say that).

Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July holiday!

Prior Post Title and HRSS video

Thought about title of prior post - should have called it "Dances with Bunnies"
or maybe "Dance of the Sugar Bun Fairy" (she is so sweet)

Anyway, here's a video about bunny adoption from HRS Singapore, but it works for any chapter: